Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 89 Entries. Thursday, May 30 View Page Finally got around to starting my diary, to update I am using Paynter seeds. Germinated 753 Paynter stem end seed on the 19th of April planted out doors in mini-greenhouse 10 days later. What a super seed growing faster than the weeds. Spring is cold here in Western Canada and wind is brutal, May 13th seen gusts up to 90km/h and yes the death of the 753 Paynter even under shelter and with heater, but the wind shifted the greenhouse decapitating the plant at the ground. First year grower here and I almost broke down and cried, But I have learned well and picked my self up and brought out my back-up plant the 701 Paynter, planted it, staked the greenhouse down on all corners 3 1/2 feet down and screwed to the base. May 15th seen wind gusts again at 87km/h and temp was +2 degrees, rain turned to snow and got dumped on 15 inches. Lost a tree limb in the other side of the yard to wind, but the greenhouse stands still and the 701 Paynter is adjusting well. The plant only just had it's first true leaf at planting and the picture shows the plant on May 28th. Today hot and calm, Temp +29 degrees, had to mist for three minutes and the plant stopped dropping. Some fert burns on the second true leaf and the cot leafs are turning yellow and dying. ANY ONE know why (to much water??? (daily)) cut back now to every three days (fertilizer??? (every 4 days, 15-30-15) The other leafs don't seem to be turning yellow or dying. ??? hmmmm. Well TTYL Ernie Thursday, May 30 View Page Nerve racking day today hot and windy, temp out side is +27 degrees and wind gusts up to 60 km/h trying to get some air to the plant under the plastic (starting to wilt)but wind is brutal. Third leaf opened yesterday and plant is starting to pick up speed leaves are getting larger and it appears to be wanting to start to vine. Will get updated photo tommorow. TTYL Ernie Friday, May 31 View Page Well after a hot windy day the 701 Paynter came threw with flying colors and a well deserved beer is in order. TTYL Ernie Sunday, June 2 View Page Well today is a cool 13 degrees and rain, not a hard rain but just right and the 701 Paynter is doing fine. As for myself my stress level is increasing, blood pressure is high, and the wife has now labeled me as a nut. Last night at around 3:30am you could find me in the garden standing guard over my numerous growing veggies and of course my baby tucked into it's mini-greenhouse complete with heater. I of course was outfitted with the essentials, smokes, beer and a flash light. My first rounds found everything in order and a quick flash at the 701 Paynter showed it sleeping peacefully. Now that everything was checked I pulled up a lawn chair, cracked a beer and lit a smoke. The wait was on. It didn't take long and from the distance I could see movement coming closer and closer soon it was right outside the garden, That's when I sprung to action running and yelling, Ya, Ya, Ya, like one does when herding cattle. I stopped near the end of the garden satisfied I had scared the daylights out of those doe's, well ok one doe and three fawns, so with a smile on my face I turned to call it a night and as I turned there stood the wife, shaking her head, the only words she uttered "Your nuts!" She just doesn't realize how much time and sweat I put into this new garden and that I was hit with the cursed AG fever. Sunday, June 2 View Page This entry is a continuation of the previous entry. So at first light I took my morning stroll through my garden and it turns out my night's exercise was in vain they had returned. Deer tracks all over, three tomato plants partially eaten and trampled, one apple tree's buds half gone and about two dozen corn plants squashed, and loads of tracks through the pumpkin bed. No more mister nice guy, Monday an eight foot fence goes up. The previous pic shows my attempt to have the 701 Paynter vine to the west not the east as it looks like it is starting to do. This pic shows an AG plant I picked up at a local greenhouse (notice the female buds all ready on the plant) What the heck I have some room with the watermelon plants sucuming to the frost. Well TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies http://www.members.shaw.ca/giantveggies/ Sunday, June 2 View Page Having trouble submitting photo's will try to post them later as well the two last posts are backwards. Sunday, June 2 View Page Here's the greenhouse purchased AG. Thursday, June 6 View Page Well what a time it has been, I think I fixed my deer problem but the neighbors aren't to happy the deer have now chosen their yard to have a snack, oh well. The 701 Paynter is moving at a slow pace seems to take a week just to get one more leaf out but the plant is suffering from heat to, well with that said the leaves are forming for secondary's and the stem is thicker than my thumb, it almost seems as if it one of those slow starters I get the feeling it is going to take off any day. It is leaning more to the east every day, however it is on the east side of the bed and should run west. Contemplated digging it up and turning it but instead put in the 2x4 shown earlier to have it fall the other way but I thought I might put pressure on the new stems and cause a split so today I chose to let the little darling run the way it wants. I took my day off and spent ten hours re-doing it's bed gave it a good roto-tilling added bovine and some 8-10-12 granular as well built another 5 feet to the east so as to have enough room to turn it later. I had a great day and stood back with a smile on my face. The pic below is the new bed. I'll add a close up shot of the plant as well but half to run seems I forgot to vaccumm and do the laundry today so the wife won't let me come to bed till it's done. Don't get me wrong she is a sweety but she runs a tight ship. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies http://www.members.shaw.ca/giantveggies/ Thursday, June 6 View Page Here is the close up of the 701 Paynter. Thursday, June 6 View Page Well it has been a crazy day wind gusts hit 92 km/h, that is three days now this month with winds over 80km/h gusts. Ya the Canadian Prairies are windy but not usally this bad. Lost a limb off a tree, the top off another one and the tree that lost a limb a couple weeks ago finally went down. (pic below) I will also enclose an updated pic of the 701 Paynter tucked away in its mini-greenhouse and not doing to bad despite the wind. Also I will show a pic of the store bought AG's first female disected. Well I'm going to do it, I've got a secret weapon I use on my giant tomatoes and tommorow I'm going to try it on the 701 Paynter. I don't think to many if any use it when growing AG's TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies http://www.members.shaw.ca/giantveggies/ Thursday, June 6 View Page A pic of the 701 Paynter in it's mini-greenhouse with wind gusts to 92km/h outside. Thursday, June 6 View Page A pic of a store bought AG's Plants first female I disected. Monday, June 10 View Page It has been a crazy weekend but hopefully things will get better. First on Friday talked with a guy that I thought had a perfect location for not only growing AG's but as well to start up an annual giant pumpkin weigh off seeing as there are none in Saskatchewan. He owns a local greenhouse and has about 2.5 acres for growing. Well things worked out and I hope I can talk the wife into going and helping me plant the 635 Paynter which pic is below and this fall we will hold the first ever Windmill Greenhouses Giant Pumkin weigh off in Moose Jaw,Saskatchewan. Why I have to get the wife to help me is because Sat. morning I was rushed to hospital in terrible pain, it turned out I had testicular torsion or a twist in my testicle, well after emergency surgery they released me from hospital Sun. afternoon a little soar and quite swollen. Be a couple weeks till I'm running again. As well since Sat. afternoon it has been raining here and will end sometime tonight or Tuesday morning with about 120mm total precip. Well TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Wednesday, June 12 View Page Another wet rainy day, been raining since Sat. and now it is Wed. Afternoon total precip. will be over 160mm need to get the mini-greenhouse off the baby and let it grow has not gotten ove 13 degrees since Sat. next five days is forcasted to be sunny and 22 to 26 degrees. The trunk of the plant is huge about the diameter of a twoonie leaves are picking up size and the plant seems to be growing faster. About four weeks from plant out and do to light leaf color will start hitting the plant with heavy N for a couple weeks. Leaves have yellow spots on them and now new leaves have same, am sure it is not fert burns. I will post a close up of the pic below so if any one can tell me what this is let me know at [email protected] or post a message, thanks. I believe it is from lack of Nitrogen in the soil, any ideas ???? Well on a quick personal note was back in hospital last night around dinner time and they kept me over night for observation, seems I have picked up a post op infection so now I have some more pills to take. Was in quite a bit of pain again with swelling and fever but still managed to keep my humor. Told the wife to take me out to the pumpkin patch and just shot me but to make sure she tills me in as to add extra fert to my baby. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Wednesday, June 12 View Page Here is a close up of the 701 Paynter with yellow spots on leaves, is this due to lack of nitrogen in the soil ??? (notice new leaf imerging has it on it's tip) If ya know please email me at [email protected] Have started to apply a heavy N fertilizer 36-6-6 TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Wednesday, June 19 View Page Well been a week since my last update, the 701 Paynter is doing great growth has really picked up and should be on the ground in about a week, I will include a pic a little later when I get outside. One thing i have noticed (this Pic) is a bug of some sort doesn't appear to be cuke beetle roaming on my plant just found one so will keep an eye out. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Wednesday, June 19 View Page An Updated Pic of the 701 Paynter. Tuesday, June 25 View Page I'm just so excited I couldn't wait to post with pics tommorow but will get pics then, for now an update the baby has out grown it's hoop house and is on the ground and is growing like the weeds, I knew it wouldn't be long before it took off. Had to take my day off and build a wind break around the bed, currently it is 90 degrees off from were I want it but that is better than the 180 degrees I thought it would be, will start easing it into direction tommorow, I must say I'm pretty amazed with the work I did and the plant but most of all the wife came over to see the baby laying down and she was impressed with the huge leaves, a big difference from growing giant tomatoes. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Wednesday, June 26 View Page Well here is the updated photo, the vine is pointing due north, moved it to the west and is pointing north-west now will try to move it more in the coming days. Noticed today what appears to be a kink on the under side of the vine about 6" to 8" from the stump, hope this doesn't pose a problem later on it feels not to bad but is surrounded by new small secondary leaves so it is difficult to get a good look at it no cracks were felt or moisture. will try to get a close up pick tommorow. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Thursday, June 27 View Page This is the 700 Paynter (thanks Peter for the correction, not 701)today just before I turned it some more, probably another couple days and it will be heading due west. Plant has just nicely started it's vigorous vegitation growth however will probably terminate using N after this weeks feed and switch to 20-20-20. Got tons of male blossoms forming no females yet, plant is at about four feet out from the stump so I hope in the next week I can at least get about 5-7 ft. of more vine growth that would put me right at mark for 10ft. for fruit set. I also hope to see a female form in the next three days and that would put me in the prime for pollination date start. Fingers crossed. It was extremely hot here today got up to 34 degress and no wind or clouds, was out all afternoon so plant went without a mist till about four o'clock. the newest two leaves suffered burns at the edge that was touching the ground when it was wilting. Ground has dried out allot so I dumped 50 gallons through the soaker hose on the east side of the patch. probably will have to step up watering to about 50 gallons a day until this heat lets up. Thursday, June 27 View Page A Picture of the store bought AG at about 5' long first female opened this morning and got caught with my plants down, no males to use for pollen well maybe a giant tomato flower, LOL. I did have a male open two days ago on the other store bought AG but didn't save it. oh well. Two more females forming today on this plant should be open in about 7 days, hopefully a male will be waiting, am just going to pollinate to get a punkin for my three year old. Thursday, June 27 View Page This is a pic of my kink in the 700 Paynter, it is exactly behind the male blossom in the pic and you can see how it comes up, kink and then go off to the left. There is a big leaf stem on the left and the vine (main) goes off behind it. Plant looks good though and I hope no problems arise from this. Had to lay on my beely on my walk board to get this shot, could have moved the plant a bit to get a better look and pic but why would I add the added chance of a mishap. I try to handle the plant as little as possible. This is all for today, got to go have a beer... or two TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies http://www.members.shaw.ca/giantveggies/ Thursday, June 27 View Page Today heat is suppose to be extreme 39 degrees or over 100 F. After yesterdays leaf burns have decided to put up a shade structure over the plant (shown in pic) and had to start misting at about 8:30 am today. This evening hot at about 32 degress and over night a low of 24 degress. You Californian growers can come up and get your heat any time. Suppose to cool of by Sunday to a high of 25 degress. Thursday, June 27 View Page This here pic shows the wind break I constructed around the punkin patch. winds south today at 30km/h and the structure works great. Thursday, June 27 View Page A pic showing leaf burns at the edges that happened yesterday when I wasn't around to mist. I had to go to Regina airport and pick up the in-laws after their vacation. Actually this was the quietest trip I ever took, ok, I'll tell ya but you'll end up saying "what an idiot" The wife took money out of the bank and it was sitting on the kitchen counter, I picked it up, counted it, $160.00 in twenty's, she walks into the kitchen so I ask what are you doing with the money, she says (being funny) "I'm going to paste it to my A--". So I said off the top of my head "your going to need a lot more than that". she never spoke to me the whole way there or back. So now I find myself writting this in a hurry so I can run out grab some nice flowers and surprise her at work with taking her out to lunch. Wish me luck... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Saturday, June 29 View Page Just a quick update today, the secret weapon is being given to the plant (700 Paynter)tonight after last application it improved what I wanted to greatly. The tomatoes will get theirs as well am really busy today and am miserable hot 30 degress bugs are terrible gettin eatin alive and sweating buckets but the work has to get done in the mater patch. Giving them some cocktails right now and then will give them a foliar spray. Was breeding this morning as well as setting fruit on the giants, I will post a pic of the huge flowers I'm setting later. Well got to run just stopped in to grab marker tape. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Sunday, June 30 View Page We finally made it home and I prepared to get soaked to the bone as the wife took the kids inside and I went to check the gardens. The wind break surrounding the punkin bed was up in parts but even those just barely, the rest of the yard lay in ruins, the corn (next pic) was torn from the ground and others were flattened, potatoe plants thrashed, tomato plants cut clean off or laying on there side, yet another tree lay on the ground on the far side of the yard. patio furniture all over, a complete mess. thunder was still booming and lightning flashing the wife runs out to say power is out and she hops in the van to get the weather. Tornado N.W. of the city and another south of the city, plow winds in front of the storm reach 116km/h. as well hail, heavy rain, thunder and lightning. Out of all this mess and distruction good news the tree that came down was the neighbours laying partly in our yard as well the 700 Paynter has survived with just one leaf a little bent shown in picture. Tommorow the clean-up begins... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Sunday, June 30 View Page I knew it, with all this heat we have been getting I knew we were going to get a really bad storm once the cold front moves in. This morning around 11:00 am. it was another hot day , (30 degrees) muggy, and no wind. Tommorow temp is suppose to drop to 25 degress so I was thinking something is going to happen with the heat wave finally breaking. After my morning chores and tending to my plants I went with the kids swimming and then we took them shopping. Well while we were at the grocery store I look out the big front windows pointing west and there layed the worst looking cloud formations, High plume clouds near pitch black along the bottom. I only ever seen this type once before while running from a tornado near cypress hills. I told the wife to move it we had to get going I needed to get home a.s.a.p. and thought we had about 15 mins to 1/2 hour before the storm hit. Boy was I wrong, more like 10 mins tops. I took the boy to the car first and wind was increasing fast, garbage flying every where, I knew right there that the punkin didn't stand a chance surviving this. By the time we got going the full front was on us, couldn't see to drive heavy rain and hail. Con't next entry. Monday, July 1 View Page Did some work in the patch today, found all kinds of bugs including a bug which looks like a bettle has about 4 round yellow spots on it's back and is black, small and moves fast. there were lots of these and since I don't know what a cuke beetle looks like I sevin'd and asked questions later. I'll show a updated pic of the plant dusted next entry. Funny thing I just went out to the patch to look a half hour after dusting and couldn't find any bugs what so ever not even ants. What I did find put a smile on my face, this pic of that is shown here. To the right of the vine tie down and right in the middle of the pic is what appears to be little hairs or fuzz coming out of the ground, it is hard to see with the sevin all over but if I found it earlier I would have gotten a pic, will try later for a clearer one. What is it you ask??? that is my secret weapon at work. Time will tell if it works for pumpkins... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Monday, July 1 View Page An updated pic of the 700 Paynter dusted with Sevin. Wednesday, July 3 View Page WARNING: The pic may be offensive to other giant mater growers.... First off I love this new look of Grower Diaries now I don't feel bad for posting more than one entry at a time as I would hate for people to get upset weeding through every thing. Well here is the update, No not on my 700 Paynter it is doing ok did discover a stem split running with the grain about 2 1/2 feet from the stump but seems not to affecting the growth. The update is with my maters... As you might know I pollinated and did some breeding on Sat. I beleive it was mentioned in an earlier entry. Well today the maters are starting to swell. The pic here shows my number 1 with sepals measured against a regular size lighter notice the length... Ya that is right roughly 3 1/2" inches across, fully stretched and once opened completly they will reach at least 4". Figuring this and adding at least 2 inches on the low side puts this monster mater at 8" across and I have noticed in past years with the sepals on the Thunder Creek Tomatoes you can add the length of the sepals on each side. Can ya say 1 foot across but this is just the top of the mater add an inch on each side for a middle measurement that's a whopping 14". Yes these are just guestimates but are usaully pretty close similar to punkin weights and measures. Will keep ya all posted P.S. I will add some other updated pics now too... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies http://www.members.shaw.ca/giantveggies/ Wednesday, July 3 View Page A top view of my Thunder Creek Tomato. Wednesday, July 3 View Page A pic of my number two planted just behind the number one. Size on these sepals are about even with the lighter and 1/2 inch smaller than number one but still quite impressive as most sepals on beefsteak maters is 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Wednesday, July 3 View Page This is a pic of the store bought AG and is about 10 to 12 feet long has 2nd female set too open in two days, have males waiting in da fridge. My three year old has adopted it and has started to help in watering. The wife just shakes her head. Tuesday, July 9 View Page This has not been a good couple of days, problems in the veggie garden, First shown in pic. is a split running with the grain as noted before in a previous entry does not appear to be deep or slowing growth of the plant. shown in next pic is another split exactly on the other side of the vine. and again is smaller than the first and does not appear to affect the plant, however should I train a secondary behind the splits to be a main vine. ANY ONE with an opinion please e-mail me at [email protected] Tuesday, July 9 View Page This is a pic of the other side of the vine with a smaller split. Tuesday, July 9 View Page A pic of the 700 Paynter at about 12' long and pointing due west. First female should open in a week however temp over the next five days over 30 degree's and even reaching 37 degrees on Thursday. started pollinating on the store bought AG a 5 lobe and this morning a 4 lobe hope they don't abort. A quick update on the Tomatoes or should I say Salsa. My number one actually formed 4 tomatoes under one flower and grew at an alarming rate blew apart this morning with a crack under and up the back of the mater. will keep growing but only for seed. My number two as well cracked across the blossom end and again will be left to grow seed. lost the number 5,7,8,10 and 14 to cracks will be focusing on the 3,4 and 9 but slower. to give you an idea of the growth they were reaching the size of a plum, tomatoes don't usually crack till much later but when you push growth this is what happens. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Tuesday, July 9 View Page Here is a pic of my number 2 plant (thunder creek tomato) with split along it's bottom. Grew it a tad fast. Tuesday, July 9 View Page Well problem solved with the number 2 plant. Should be a real biggin at the tomato weigh off. "Split?" what split, I don't see any split... (ain't duck tape a wonderfull thing.) LMAO Tuesday, July 9 View Page This is a pic of my daughter's baby's the one on the right was pollinated this a.m. Wednesday, July 10 View Page A quick update, Looks like I got one pollinated on the store bought AG. Is a little larger than pollination date yesterday and is a shiny yellow color. Had some people asking 'bout my thunder creek tomatoes recently so I will update this for them as you know number one was shown with sepal's at about 3 1/2 to 4 inches july 03 and since has gotten two good splits in it from rapid growth, but looks like they are closing and healing with brown scars so it remains on the vine. This updated pic shows the growth in the last seven days, and with roughly 50 days left it looks like it will measure it's 14" across the middle. The red line at the bottom of the new pic shows the bottom of the mater. You might also note this mater has actually four segments (four fruits) grown under one flower and is roughly 70 % joined as one mater. I call this mater kum Quad. I will update later on the others... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Wednesday, July 10 View Page Trying to get some rivalry going between me and the guys in Alberta, namely Darby and Smitty. With Darby it's easy, Smitty is the quite one which worries me. I just happened to get a pic of Darby's punkin entry from last years weigh-off at Smoky Lake, This leaves me speech-less. I will include a zoomed shot for you that want to see the fine details. LMAO in Saskatchewan TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Wednesday, July 10 View Page Here is the close-up of Darby's fine entry from last year's weigh-off at Smoky Lake. I think ya forgot to pollinate it Darby. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Sunday, July 14 View Page Was in the patch today all morning, four females opened, had two males so had to bring out the 7 fridge males. I guess you could say it was a punkin orgy in the patch. One opened on the 700 Paynter (first female) at about 11', the main is roughly 15' long now, have it covered and two coke bottles frozen beside the female hope it takes, temp. is suppose to be 38 degress or 100 F. The other three opened on the store bought AG. two on the main one on a main secondary coming out of the stump at about 5' out. the ones on the main are 15' and 18'. One opened at about 5' main vine around the end of june but did not pollinate it. another opened around the 3rd of July it aborted and still another opened on the 9th of July, that baby took and is about the size of a baseball. Dead headed the main on the Store bought AG and spent the rest of the time pruning off tetritary's and burying secondary's on both plants. I read alot of people having punkin dreams, which is funny cause maybe because I knew I had alot of females opening today or something but I had a punkin dream too last night, Doesn't make since though I was walking into the bank but couldn't get in the doors cause the punkin I was wearing was to big, ya know arms out the side head out the top of the punkin, now that's strange I dare not tell the wife. I've always thought when growing "Be the Punkin" but this is a little much. Well got to run, TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Tuesday, July 16 View Page Update after 24 hours from pollination, the one on the Paynter 700 with shade and ice looks like it will abort. The one 15' ft. out on store bought AG took under shade no Ice is 2 1/4" stem to blossom this morning. the one 18' out is in the compost with about 3' of main vine went to look last night after dark and stepped square on main vine just behind punkin. f#%@ %#... The one 4' from stump on secondary (not 5') took is twice the size from pollination (3") and looks like will be the keeper on the store bought ag it is shaped like a lemon. the one pollinated on the 9th is 3" and is round like a base ball. the four foot one out was least desired cause it was on a secondary and had one set on main already but pollinated it any ways for the hell of it, no shade or ice. temp reached 38 C or 100 F and with humidex felt like 45 C or 110F. This thing has impressed me and it has only been 24 hours will keep a close eye till culling time. Pic enclosed I've named the little darling "Pork Chop" Wednesday, July 17 View Page Help vote for "Pork Chop" Info below... Well the poo hit the fan last night, and yes your's truly is to blame and I feel like a total a$# and a smuck. I snapped at my three year old daughter cause she was mess'in in the patch with the store bought AG trying to pull out the soaker hoses beneath the plant. I just went to the shed to grab some fert and when I came out I seen her and started scream'in well she went running to the wife crying and said I wouldn't let her water her plant. (which is not what I said) Well to make it short, the wife gave me a few choice words and I escorted my daughter back to the patch with watering can in hand to show her again how to water it. I need to take more patients with her as regardless how big a punkin we'd get my daughter comes first and I would love nothing more than to continue to grow Giant Punkins with my girl year after year. So as was posted previously the store bought AG is my daughters plant and she has four pollinated punkins on it and which ever one is the keeper will be named "pork chop" as she as well told the wife I was going to kill "pork chop" cause it was smaller then the other and the wife explained that when she got down to one punkin that one was going to be pork chop, So with the daughter happy her and daddy went down to the ice cream shop and sat and had two ice creams each. The Pic enclosed is a pic of the two prominate pumpkins, my daughter has agreed to posting them in hopes that you the pumpkin growing public will help decide which will be culled and which will be named "Pork Chop" Simply go to general discussion and vote at "Vote for Pork Chop". She likes this idea as she has asked before what the website was (she likes disney.com) and I told her it was were people help you grow giant pumpkins. Darby and Smitty, when I come to smoky lake I'll be bringing my girl and her punkin, I hope they have a junior class for kids pumpkins. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Saturday, July 20 View Page Pollination on the 700 Paynter this am. temp today is again suppose to be extreme as has been for the last two weeks. temp today 33C and with humidex it is to be 44C or 110F, will be cool tommorow 25C to bad the baby didn't open then. 25C Sunday and back in the heat next week. Pumpkin a) & b) on store bought AG looks to be alright, noticed on both that the top is cream to yellow and the bottoms are cream to white hope it is just either my eye sight or some sun scald and that they aren't aborting with all this heat. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Sunday, July 21 View Page Pollination on the 700 Paynter looks good about double the size from pollination yesterday and a nice shine, I've as well included a pic of "Pork Chop" pumpkin a) as pumpkin b) is growing slowly and might need to be culled, however if not my daughter has decided to grow both. Pork chop in this photo is 7 days old. The wife went out last nite with the girls so I found myself home with nothing to do after dark so I played on the computer and was thinking some pretty weird stuff, check it out in following pic... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Sunday, July 21 View Page Here is what the old brain spit out last night, and just think I did this fully intoxicated. Monday, July 22 View Page I believe it is now official the 700 Paynter has not grown at all in the last 24 hrs. on the main vine (fried)and it will be buried later. The secondaries continue to grow and dead headed four at their max length of 12' was going to be 15' but used 3' on each side for a walk way around the patch on the inside of the wind break. The main vine is 21' giving a total of 504 sq. ft. for the plant once secondaries are all maxed. As for Pumpkins the one at 11' aborted, the pic enclosed is of pum-p-kin pollinated Fri. at around 15' so it is now three days old and growing slowly but surely. There is one more to pollinate by the looks of it on Sat. and that will be it for this plant, as the pollination window would have closed for a 60 day grow till weigh off as I don't think any will be open on the secondaries till later next week. As for the store bought AG, it wil either set a new record for the largest pumpkin in the smallest area or it will turn out to be a small pumpkin. Pumpkin a) is officially "Pork chop" the b) pumpkin was culled in favour of pollinating one of three females at the end of one of two back vines. This will be it as well for pollinating this plant, no more females to open. All vines main, back and secondaries have been dead headed. As for the comments earlier the plant was pruned exstensively as it is at the top growing area of the 700 Paynter cross wise. It measures 19' long and 44" wide for a total of 66 sq.ft. Go ahead laugh get it out of your system. The main is 15' long with "Pork chop" at the end, the secondaries are roughly 22" on either side of the main and two back vines run in the opposite direction from the main back from the stump to about 4' a pumpkin will be set here as well. con't next entry Monday, July 22 View Page Tommorow is day 10 for "Pork chop" and I believe it will measure well, I did notice yesterday after giving it a bath with 10% bleach that it was fairly heavy and a small flattening on it's bottom was forming could be a thick walled pumpkin. This pic shows the last to be pollinated on the 700 Paynter. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Monday, July 22 View Page This is a pic of "Pork chop" at 9 days old and has white extending from the stem and it looks like white spots on the pumpkin... Is this aborting??? I did notice this when it was about half this size as well but it appears to be still growing it was a 3.5" gain at day 7 then 3" yesterday now 1.5 today. It was alot cooler in the last three days 15 degrees from day seven. Is it the pumpkin slowing from the cooler temps or is it aborting. HELP... email me, please and let me know... [email protected] Thanks TTYL, Ernie Giant Veggies Tuesday, July 23 View Page Day 10 has arrived for "Pork Chop" but before I get to the measurments I'll just mention that I have pollinated another one on the store bought AG, so besides "Pork Chop" there is one on the back vine 2' from the end and another about 1.5' past this one. One will be culled and one grown as company for "Pork Chop". Day 10 measurements: 22" circumference, 16.75" Side to side, 17.5" stem to blossom = OTT 56.25" or about 5lbs. His rate of growth was at 3.5" circumference at start of growing but has slowed to about 1" in last three days I believe it is due to the chilly evening's down to 8 degrees C or about 40 F. weather is suppose to be higher 20's to low 30's next five days, so hopefully evenings will be from 15 to 18 degrees C. As well built a shade structure over him. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Thursday, July 25 View Page Well all you lucky folks at BP get to see family pics. Yes you could hit your back button but I'm sure if ya continued you would probably have a good laugh. First off is a pic of Pork Chop at 12 days old, Do ya think I could send in the pic to pepsi and maybe get an ad contract.... Ok not funny. I was going to use a coke can but I was still drinking it so I just grabbed one of the wife's pepsi's out of the fridge, emptied it in the sink and used that. She didn't think that was funny but I got a little chuckle. NEXT... Thursday, July 25 View Page Here is a pic of Pork Chops sister (24 hours old) at da other end of the vine pollinated on July 22. This one will be left to maturity to give Pork Chop company. Next... Thursday, July 25 View Page This is a pic of "Pum-P-Kin" on the 700 Paynter like previously posted it is growing slowly but surely, 5 days old here... And Finally, Next.... Thursday, July 25 View Page A pic of the #2 on 700 Paynter, this baby had the most perfect flower and shaped lobes I have ever seen it was pollinated on the 23 of July and is either being culled or left as it is on the main vine like Pum-P-Kin and like it's brother it is growing slow. I will show a pic of the difference of the two plants in both size and pumpkin size... Next.... (Sue me. I lied) Thursday, July 25 View Page This is a pic of the 700 Paynter and under the boxes taped with duct tape are the #2 and Pum-P-Kin... about 425 sq.ft. at this point.... Next... Thursday, July 25 View Page Here is a pic of the #2 on the 700 Paynter pollinated on the 23rd of July and of the culled one off from the store bought ag also pollinated on the 23rd. culled due to a split in the blossom end. Notice the size difference of the two, this is the size pork chop started out like and as well his sister at the other end of the vine. but this plant is way slow yet is in the same patch and is cared for the same... Yes Finally, no fibbing, Next.... Thursday, July 25 View Page I always save the best for last, the daughters store bought ag plant grown in a total area of 66 sq.ft. which shows Pork Chop in his shade structure at the end of the patch. Well that's it for now, thanks for sticking around to see the pics. You guys and gals are the greatest as every one around here walks away when they see me coming (just kidding) 'bout them walking away. See I told ya you would have a good laugh.... ok maybe not. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Thursday, July 25 View Page Correction the pic of pork chops sister was pollinated on da 24th of july not the 22nd Thursday, July 25 View Page Here is something I got growing in between the mesh and plastic wind break for Darby and Smitty. Any guesses??? One hint it's a weed... LMAO TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Saturday, July 27 View Page A quick update on my Thunder Creek Tomatoes. A Plant that had good growth and actually had my #7 that was lost to cracking was re-pollinated on the 13th of July and is now 14 days old, no cracking on the blossom end or any where else for that matter and is the size of the #1 which I am continuing to grow for seed, however it is severly cracked so I hope I have one cavity left in tact. The #7 1/2 which I call it is probably one of the best Thunder Creeks I have grown to date but I'll let the pic speak for itself. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Sunday, July 28 View Page ok here is the pic... Sunday, July 28 View Page Pic of Pum-pkin today Thursday, August 1 View Page Well despite the cool below normal temps 6C (42F)last night and a high of 15C (60F)this afternoon and back down to 6C (42F)tonight the pumpkins are doing good and continue to put on weight however slower until I took matters into my own hands. Have a look at the thermostat yep a gorgeous 25C (80F)in the patch and that is just after bringing it in from the chilly outside, I'll let it go up to 29C (89F). Hmmmm.... I think tonight I'll put the patch down to 18C... Enjoy the updated pics of Pork Chop and Pum-P-kin... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Thursday, August 1 View Page The outside of the patch... Thursday, August 1 View Page An updated of Pork chop at day 19... Friday, August 2 View Page Something is wrong on the home front, but I can't figure out what it is... I was working this morning and came home at lunch time and found the wife there, she never comes home for lunch. Even worse, she gives me a couple bags of stuff and says she loves me. Well in the bags was one 5200 btu electrical heater, a 80' section of power cord, a plug'in post for the patch and one of the biggest cans of beer I have ever seen 5L which holds 14 cans of normal beer. I checked the calendar, nope no anniversary or birthday... so I asked here what's up and she just says " Can't I give the man I love something for no reason. You have to understand she has never done this except for birthdays, christmas etc.. in the ten years we've been together... I just don't get it, but I guess I'll play along. The beer is nice and chilled so I'll spend the afternoon in the patch sipping on my 5L can of beer putting in my new heater. I guess I'll have to change my name to "Giant Veggie Stud" Dazed in Saskatchewan Ernie Giant Veggies Wednesday, August 7 View Page A quick update, on the 700 Paynter. I have 3 pumpkins set and growing the one on the main vine continues to grow but slowly at about 1" per day, haven't measured in a few days will today as it is day 20 it would probably be around 30" to 33" circumference. The other two are about the size of a melon and will cull these shortly. My daughters plant with pork chop continues to grow but again slowly haven't even a guess as to size I am leaving this plant alone and letting her care for it as she has to be the one that grew it for the weigh-off. I do put the fert in the watering can for her and she adds water then gives it to the plant. Just wish she could carry a bigger watering can as the last feeding on the weekend took 2 hours to do on a 66 sq. ft. plant. I know slow and steady wins the race but this is ridiculous, I can't get beat by a three year old though I would never live it down. No pic's in the next little while, loaned the digital camera to the in-laws for their three week vacation. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Sunday, August 11 View Page I'm so mad I can't even think straight. Well to start off the weather has been the s%$#'s and just when it starts to warm up mother nature unleashes her storms, yes storms not one but one every night since Monday it is now Saturday. So far we have gotten over 182 millitres or roughly 13" of rain and that does't include tonights which I would say is about 5 inches. I had built a cover over the patch to heat it up but that came down in Wed. nights storm and took out 35 leaves and stems right in the centre of the plant, so today spending 10 hours fixing the cover and changing it to a raised centre from a flat roof which the new tarp is shown in the pic, this is so the rain will run off instead of pooling and come crushing down which already happened. It would have worked fine except the 92km/h wind which almost put the whole structure across the street then the rain came and yep collapsed on top of the plant. The patch is a disaster spent the last 2 hours in the wind and rain and mudd trying to save my baby's. I'm wet, cold, mudd up to my ying yang and I feel like bawling. I'm going to have a hot shower and go to bed, 2:10 am. Well try to get a pick of the patch tommorow, not sure if any thing survived... Monday, August 12 View Page No comment on "Wilbour" or "Porkchop" for a while, need to assess the damage to the plants and monitor growth for a week to see if things will be alright. On a good note went to check the in-laws house and they forgot to take the digital with them so I brought it back and got some picks of "Wilbour" for ya's. These Photo's should put an end to the rumor's that us Canehdian's hand feed our pumpkins BEER.... Monday, August 12 View Page As ya can clearly see we don't hand feed them, it's all set up so it's automatic. Ya can also see that "Wilbour" is consuming two 5L kegs per day (28 bottles of beer). Just hope he can sit up straight at the weigh-off. Saturday, August 17 View Page Well day 30 is here for "Wilbour" and he is humming right along, You guys up north might have thought all was lost but not quite, I'm quite a fighter and despite two near fatal damages things are on track as shown in the chart. The estimate for "Wilbour" taken from his growth habits puts him at (come weigh-off) around 700lbs which hopefully takes first, second or third at the smoky lake weigh off. As well if the last month of my pouring over every little scrap of info I could get to come up with my end of season weigh-off estimates are correct I will as well take the honors of having the largest pumpkin ever grown in Saskatchewan. With the warm weather for the next seven days I hope it puts him over his estimates. As you can see he did fall a smidge off around Aug. 7 but since has come back on track and looks like he might just surpass it. Fingers crossed... Being a first time grower and living in Sask. This would be a real feat. Will get some updated photo's tommorow as he is resting now. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Thursday, August 22 View Page Day 35 for Wilbour, he continues on at a good speed. The updated chart shows he is exactly on the mark set out at day thirty. Boy talk about a ride. Funny thing happened today in the patch, I was out measuring and because of his size it is becoming very difficult to do, so I planted my feet at the rear and near the back right and left and straddled him bent over to the front to place the tape measure just under his stem and rap it back around, well just then one of my employees came by the house and all I heard was "So are you breeding him now" I had to admit the postion I was in must have looked very well strange.... We had a good laugh. The next entry gives his measurements as well as a pic of him taken tonight. Thursday, August 22 View Page "Wilbour" Day 35 - 94.5" Circumference, 222 OTT = 218-238lbs Sunday, August 25 View Page Sad day in the patch and in the house. "Pork Chop" went down with a 2 1/2" split around it's blossom end. Had to tell the girl and ya could see the disappointment in her face as the tears welled in her eyes, tore my heartout... "Pork Chop" final measurement 71" circumferance est. weight 106lbs. "Wibour" will need to be slowed down, starting to increase in size at 4 1/2" per day circumferance. Kicked my self in the butt yesterday found three tetritary's one @ 5'1/2" with female bud on it about the size of a quarter the other two about 2' long. Some ozzing at the blossom end and quite a few stretch marks but no holes or splits, (crossed fingers) It should be at about 2 1/2" growth per day and slowing, but instead it has gone slowly up 3" to 4" now 4 1/2" currently 106" circumferance, will leave it one more day then start cutting secondaries to slow him down as well will hold off watering today and push back fert. to every 4 days instead of every other day. Tuesday, August 27 View Page Day 40 for "Wilbour" and my hair is starting to really go gray. Triple checked all my data for estimated final weight and it works out to 146.5 yet measurments are way high and it puts him at his current gain @ over 900lbs come weigh-off this can't be right. So first I checked charts his measurement and estimated are right on the mark yet the figures don't add up. It shows he should be @ 114" and his measurement was 114" but this doesn't equal final weight estimate.... ok ok, (check the written est. data), estimated gains is 11.5" day 35 to day 40, aha charts shows gain of 22" but his measurement is over then. I grabbed the wife and went to measure, I had been measuring at his widest point in circumference which is at the 9:00 postition on the left and 5:00 on the right, wife asked if it 1) was suppose to be straight around like 9:00 to 3:00 (hmmm... good point) 2) if it was in am. or pm. (hahaha) always a comedian in the crowd. (she could see I was a little stressed, "good wife, now go make my lunch..." (got a smack in the back of the head for that one.) Ok got my new measurement 106.5" ran back inside to check written data 11.5" + 94.5" (Day 35)= 106". Bingo over by 1/2". As you can see by the updated chart where the line enters the column on the left this is suppose to be in the middle of the column and matches actual parallel measurements as well as estimated final weight. Good thing I didn't start cutting off leaves/secondaries. Wouldn't I look like a fool figuring to have a 900lb'er only to be short by a few hundred pounds... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Thursday, August 29 View Page Here's my dilema, I'm sitting on a pumpkin that is growing in my books as a first year grower excellent. Has been on average putting on 2.5" circ. daily and averages 19lbs per day. Today he is at day 41 post pollination and has a circ. of 109". Some stats- Growing location average days from pollination to harvest 75days. - Provincial record 693.5lbs - inches remaining to obtain 700lbs and record 38" - current daily growth 2.5" circ. - daily average circ. needed to obtain 38" 1.03" per day - day 63 hits 147.5" at current growth rate and factoring in a drop to one inch per day at day 50 My problem is the pumpkin around his blossom end and all the minor cracking and ozzing. his ribs have just begun to start filling out and he is still quite yellow, should I do something to slow him down or just cross my fingers. Saturday, August 31 View Page Well the race for the Sask. Record is over. Due to four hairline splits in the stem joint where the stem joins to the vine I have decided on the side of caution rather than stupidity and stop all further fertilizer feedings and cut water back to 1/2 hour every other day. Once first frost arrives "Wilbour" will be cut from the vine to finish his days resting in his shade structure. Day 44 and is at 115" circumference. I very much doubt that he will gain 32" to take the Sask. record due to the splits as he only gained 1/2" in the last 24hrs. Did relieve some stem stress further at the base, don't want to cut that secondary off as it would probably cause a surge and cause further possible cracks. Hopefully he will go at least to 600lbs. The pic shows his blossom end, side shot, vine relief and the pic of his cracks covered with fungicide the two that weren't where covered after the pic. Notice the very short stem about 1", this is why I deadheaded the main at the pumpkin as I don't believe (as you can see) there was any other choice. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Monday, September 2 View Page Good news for next year, the wife asked if I wanted to put in another 1 or 2 pumpkin patches in half of the new veggie garden. The pic above shows just some of the veggie's she picked for mother dearest today, the basket of potatoes is a tenth of what we have which is about 500lbs. Corn 3 dozen cobbs which leaves about 400 cobbs left and some odds and ends. I guess she doesn't want to harvest that much so she just said to turn it into more pumpkin patch next year... what a sweetie, Ye Haa. So I will more than likely set one more patch here and either a squash or watermelon for next year... The next pic is of "Wilbour" being visited by my three year old daughter. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Monday, September 2 View Page My Daughter Beth with "Wilbour" Monday, September 9 View Page Day 53 has come for "Wilbour" and it is day to day. Recieved over 5" of rain on the weekend and the thought had crossed my mind to harvest him to avoid any possible surge and splits. Taking the advice of a friend I will leave him on the vine and pray like hell (if that is possible) that he survives for a while longer. Currently the rain has pushed him back up to 2" per day circumference and he is turning orange rather nicely as well about 60% now of the fruit has cantalouped as seen in the pic. He is currently at 131 circ. with an ott of 299 or 540lbs. Tuesday, September 17 View Page Well this will be one of the last post's for this season, by next Tuesday temps are suppose to hit +2 for a day time high. I am quite pleased with my first official season as "Wilbour" with the high of 31 degrees, around 95F, I believe has put on some last minute weight. Day 60 for "Wilbour" and measurements are 135" circumferance and an ott of 307, which relates to 562lbs circ. or 582lbs ott. If he goes heavy which I think he will I believe he'll go about 625lbs. which isn't to shabby for roughly 325 sq.ft. growing area and being a full first year grower. Enjoy some final pics of "Wilbour" TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Tuesday, September 17 View Page This pic shows a side shot of "Wilbour" next year I will be growing one of his grandparents and most likely one of his silblings and inbreeding. The previous pic showed a blossom end shot but I don't believe it did him any justice as he tapes out from the widest point on the left to the right 49" straight across which leaves me in a bit of a delema as the truck to transport him to the weigh-off has a 50" space between the back wheels in the box, if he grows very much more I might have to get a cube van. Tuesday, September 17 View Page Well before the season comes to a close I thought I'd finally get a pic of myself and my baby "Wilbour"... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Tuesday, September 17 View Page A little clearer of a shot of the handsom devil. No not me, my baby "Wilbour" (LOL) He's some fine looking pumpkin eh?... Wednesday, September 18 View Page A last minute push is underway, "Wilbour" so far is responding nicely... Both OTT and Circ. is being taken daily. This will continue till day 65 as we will have roughly 3 more days of good weather then drops to like +2 day time high and forcasted for snow. Todays measurements are: 136" cirumference 87" stem to blossom 85.5 side to side 308.5 OTT = 590lbs. with a heavy measurement of 1% he would weigh out at 649lbs This was figured out using the day forty estimating (est. 320.5 ott) found here http://www.bigpumpkins.com/nepga/ViewArticle.asp?id=21 but using 1% instead of 2%. Day 60 estimates puts it at 337 OTT I don't believe he will either make that or weigh over by that much (753 lbs) Still the record here in Saskatchewan is 693.5 so he is getting really close. TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies Friday, September 27 View Page Well one week to weigh-off and I have been told the cat is out of the bag, my friend went through Smoky Lake from visiting friends at Cold Lake Alberta and he ran into other pumpkin growers and proceeded to tell them of the giant coming from Saskatchewan that would take the weigh-off, actually you might remember of the 635 Paynter I planted at another location earlier this year... That plant has done quite well and holds the fruit (which me and the friend named "Jack") that we will be taking to the weigh-offs in Smoky Lake. Since he has already begun to talk I might as well post his stats... Circumference = 173" SS= 101.5 SB = 103 OTT= 377.5 or 1030lbs I actually wanted to see the look on people's faces when we unloaded the monster but as I understand it very few from that weigh-off come onto this site so we will still turns some heads. As for lifting and transporting the fruit we have aquired a fork lift to come and load it in to my friends cube van from the greenhouse we will be taking. Along with about 12 guys who will be there to help put "Jack" onto the skid, and of course afterwards we'll sit down to a couple of cases of beer.... TTYL Ernie Giant Veggies